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Pax 3: The James Bond of Vaporizers

When the PAX 2 portable vaporizer was released in 2015, it forever changed the landscape of the industry. At the time, SF Evergreen called the PAX 2 “a solution to problems we didn’t know we had.” Elements like LED lights, magnetic oven doors, and a lip sensor brought vaporizers to a level of style and refinement reminiscent of the iPhone.

Now, with the PAX 3, they’ve done it again.

The company, which boasts of having sold over 1 million devices, is sure to see that number rise with the third version of its flagship product. Addressing the most glaring omission from the PAX line thus far, the PAX 3 is a dual-use vaporizer designed for both loose leaf and extract. To accommodate extract enthusiasts, the PAX 3 unit comes with two oven lids and a concentrate insert, making it insanely simple to switch between loose leaf and extract at a moment’s notice.

Controlling the PAX 3, including cycling between four heat settings, is accomplished by applying pressure to the mouthpiece. It may take one or two tries to get the gist of how to switch between settings, since the PAX 3 has no screen per se, communicating instead via color patterns on the unit’s signature four-petal LED design. If tinkering with lights and clicks feels like too much work, don’t worry: This baby has Bluetooth pairing as well.

With the PAX Vapor App, you can define your optimum settings and pair your unit each time you fire it up. It’s something of a novelty, given there aren’t that many settings to choose between, but it’s a nice touch and an indication of PAX’s commitment to staying abreast of current innovations with its future products.

From a simplicity standpoint, the PAX 3 has improved on its predecessor’s 45-second warm-up time, shaving down the wait to 15 seconds. After multiple sessions, the unit was consistently ready to go in this timeframe, helpfully informing me it was time to smoke by turning its LED petals from purple to green. The petals also display the battery life on a scale of one to four, which seems equal if not superior to that of the PAX 2.

As far as I can tell, the battery is about the same (10 sessions) as the PAX 2. While a longer battery life would’ve been a nice plus, the PAX 2 was lauded for its ability to hold a charge, so it’s hard to say this was a miss or an oversight.

THE VERDICT

Cool Factor: If having the coolest vaporizer is a priority, you’ve probably already pre-ordered the PAX 3. No company has more bells and whistles, more Apple-like flourishes, in the vaporizer sector than PAX. From Bluetooth pairing to the brushed metal exterior, the PAX 3 is meant to be a show stopper, and it lives up to the billing.

Practicality:One of the nontechnological appeals of the PAX line has always been portability. The PAX 3 carries this legacy forward, coming in at exac the same size as the PAX 2. If you wa the option to enjoy both loose leaf an concentrate on the go, you will need t bring the insert with you, but if you c commit to just one for your on-the-g sessions, you’d be hard-pressed to fin sleeker, more compact, and complete option.

By cutting 30 seconds off the warm-up time, the PAX 3 is now rea to use within 15 seconds of being turned on. That’s incredibly efficient and makes quick and discreet hits a wonderful and convenient reality.

Like the PAX 2, the PAX 3 does not have the world’s most generous oven, so group sessions will quickly require reloads. However, with the interchangeable ovens, one could p a concentrate lid while enjoying so loose leaf and vice versa, so that certainly makes the prospect of having reload in midsession less annoying.

Affordability:If you want the iPho of vaporizers, you’re going to have pa the price. PAX currently has the PAX listed at $274.99, putting it into the per echelon of portable vaporizer proucts. If you have a PAX 2, it’s hard to s you need to upgrade, although if you enjoy concentrate, that’s definitely th biggest reason to throw down. If you don’t have a PAX at all, the price does seem justified by the PAX 3’s 10-year warranty and unique features. If it’s a question of buying three lesser vaporisers for $100 each, as they continue to break down, or one PAX 3, that’s no question at all.

Overall:They did it. Despite the PAX 2’s status as the king of personal vap izers, the PAX 3 has unseated its sibli This is everything you could want in a vaporizer — look, convenience, reliaity, options — and probably four oth things I haven’t even figured out yet. Some may be content with simpler, more rustic options, and that’s perfe fine, but if you want the full package and then some, the PAX 3 is the now product to beat.